Young People Development Project

The allotment society have designated a block of land, originally 17 plots, to work with local young people under the direction of one of our Directors, Dr Bob Tyler. The organic growing project started in 2012 in partnership with Aston Villa football club, who funded the land clearance.

Several hundred young people to date have volunteered their time to work and learn some skills of allotment keeping as well as a host of life skills including team work, target setting, task management. The groups involved were St George’s Community Hub, City United, Birmingham City University Eco project, Trident housing and most recently the Fairbridge programme of the Princes Trust.

Previous young people gained match day employment at Aston Villa in hospitality. The club took organic produce and honey from the plots bee hives for match day hospitality, their VMF restaurant and the players themselves down at Bodymoor Heath training grounds.

The project is now largely self- funding through charitable donations including time given by a team of adult volunteers. The produce spans traditional summer vegetables, winter crops, soft fruits and more exotic greenhouse crops including Kashmiri peppers and aubergines. Further details of the impact of the project can be found in an article in Birmingham Living:-
http://birmingham.livingmag.co.uk/dr-bob-tyler/

Dr Bob Tyler, Treasurer, The Roots and Renewal Foundation.